How I’m Mentally Preparing To Go Back To School

For those of you that don’t know I took a semester off from college. I was feeling a lot of uncertainty and confusion about my future and decided the best thing to do was take some time off from school. I can talk more about that decision and what I did in the meantime in another blog post if you guys want me to. I’ve had some time to think and decompress and now I’m getting ready to start a new semester at the end of this month! I know that this first semester back is going to be extra difficult for me, so I’ve been taking a few steps to prepare myself.

One way I chose to lighten the load on myself is by cutting back on my work hours for the fall. I know not everyone has the option to do this, but I personally need to prioritize school and let work fall second. I love my jobs and I don’t think I could quit either one of them, but by cutting back on my hours spent there I’m giving myself more time to focus on school and on myself which are my top priorities at this time in my life. 

The second way I’ve been preparing to go back to school is by starting to get back into a routine. During the summer my schedule changes weekly, but during the fall my schedule stays much more consistent – which is good, because I thrive on routine. However, it can be hard to get back into a routine after you have been out of one for so long. So I’ve been waking up earlier and trying out some different morning routines to decide how I want to handle the mornings before work – which depending on the day can be difficult for me. I’ve also been trying to establish routines at other times during my day – like in the evening and around lunchtime. 

Another way I’m getting ready to take on this next semester is by prepping for my classes. I took my time when I was deciding what classes I wanted to take this semester and made sure that they were classes I would likely be able to handle on my own without outside help. It can be difficult for me to ask for help, so I know getting through this first semester back without having to do so or only having to do so a little bit will really help me build my academic confidence back up.

 I’ve been treating myself to some cute new stationery items, because I know having those things will make me happy throughout the semester. Some people like to spend their money on makeup or cars – I like to spend mine on my dog and stationery supplies. Those things make me happy and there’s nothing wrong with spending money on what makes you happy. (Just try to budget for it! I’ve been on a budgeting journey lately and honestly there needs to be way more classes on it in high school.) 

Of course, I’ve also been bringing all of my concerns to my therapist (shout out to Judy). We’ve been working on behavior chains lately to establish my behavior patterns and what triggers certain behavior. I definitely have a lot of behavior patterns and there are some I’m trying to change as school starts. For example, one of my default responses when my parents ask me about school is irritation, because I automatically assume they think I’m doing bad grade wise. Comparing my assumptions to the facts of the situation helps me to see that they are really just checking in with me because they’re my parents, not because they assume I’m doing badly in school. This is a behavior pattern I’m trying to be more conscious of and change as school starts and my parents start asking me about my classes. 

These are just a few of the ways I’m preparing myself to start back to school this month. I’m curious how many of you are going to school this fall? Or are you preparing for another new adventure in your life? Let me know!